Starring Gary Sinise, CSI: NY narrowly escaped cancellation the past two seasons after it was moved to Fridays in 2010. However, CBS surprisingly pulled the plug on the older CSI: Miamiinstead last year and renewed NY. The Big Apple spin-off also starred Sela Ward, who replaced original female lead Melina Kanakaredes in Season 7.

Executive producer Pam Veasey sounded cautiously optimistic about the show's future in an interview with TVGuide.com in February. "No one's told us to write it so that it ends," she said with a laugh. "It is an incredible challenge each year to sort of leave it open." The Season 9 finale drew 9.46 million viewers and a 1.2 rating in the adults 18-49 demographic.

CBS also pulled the plug on its long-running comedy Rules of Engagement after seven seasons. Although the show, starring Patrick Warburton and David Spade, was never one of the network's top comedies, it was a strong utility player that performed well in multiple nights and timeslots — usually filling spots left by canceled comedies, in the most recent case the short-lived Partners. The cancellation news came as little surprise after the show had crossed the magical syndication mark — 100 episodes — and after several members of the cast signed on for new pilots. The show's Season 7 finale airs Monday, May 20 at 8:30/7:30c.

Freshman period drama Vegas also got the axe Friday. The '60s-set series, featuring Dennis Quaid in his first regular TV role, failed to draw viewers and was moved from Tuesdays at Fridays in April. The series' penultimate episode grabbed 7.38 million viewers and a 0.9 demo rating. The show' season — and now series — finale airs Friday at 9/8c on CBS.

Midseason entry Golden Boy, which took over Vegas' Tuesday timeslot, was also canceled on Friday. Starring Theo James and Chi McBride, the show's most recent episode pulled in just under 7 million viewers and a 1.2 rating, The finale airs on Tuesday at 10/9c. News of the four cancellations came hours after CBS ordered two new dramas and four new comedies.

(Full disclosure: TVGuide.com is owned by a joint venture between CBS and Lionsgate.)